We knew my daughter might need to be in the NICU for a week or so after birth due to echogenic bowel seen on her ultrasound. At 3 days old, she had her first surgery, and never seemed to get better. One day, we were transferred from the 4th-floor NICU to the 11th-floor NICU. I dont know the exact date that we first had Danette as her nurse, but I remember the day!

She was so kind as well as professional, and made sure she introduced me to her night nurse, as I had not met that nurse yet. After that, Danette signed on as my daughter's primary nurse. Since Danette worked 8-hour shifts, I was always sad that she would not be there until evening shift change, but so very grateful because that made it so we had her more days, even though those days were a few hours shorter. What was supposed to be a week or two turned into four months. My baby just wouldn't improve. While I loved everyone we worked with while in the NICU, my heart was broken because I had three other babies at home.

As weeks turned to months, the feeling of hopelessness crept in more and more. Danette was always there and would do anything for my daughter. The many times I needed support as her parent, Danette was always there too. The times we got to just visit and get to know each other and really become friends meant the world, and relationships like that made the situation so much better. Danette was an advocate for my daughter the whole time, and would make sure what she felt was best for her was made known. She would always make sure I understood, and was very patient with my many questions, and if she didn't know, she would help find the answers.

My daughter's second surgery was rescheduled multiple times, as she would just improve the day before her surgery so much that it only made sense to wait and see, and Danette always seemed to be working right before or right after, and would make sure she was taken care of in the chaos of changed plans. She also insisted that my husband and I go out to lunch after it was clear there was no surgery, so we could have a chance to take a break mentally. She was always respectful, but if she thought something was not being done correctly, she would make sure the staff knew her thoughts to make sure Hannah was getting everything she needed.

When Hannah finally did have her second surgery, it was the grace of God that Danette was her nurse when she was moved back to the 11th floor NICU. My baby was in so much pain and seemed so fragile. You could see Danette's focus grow even more as she returned to med/surg mode and did everything she could to make our daughter feel better. The last month, as we took steps to get Hannah eating, it seemed to be touch-and-go all the time. We were so used to failure, as soon as we'd feel we were moving in the right direction, it would seem clear that our daughter was not quite there.  Danette was there every morning she worked, loving my baby as if she were her own, taking care of her, despite the yucky nurse things she had to endure. 

By the time we were leaving, our daughter really knew Danette and was as close to her as any of us who were with her all day long. I do have to say that every single nurse on that floor will forever have a piece of my heart, and I love them all and am so grateful for them! Her primary nurse team was the absolute best, and Danette seemed to be her angel!

Danette did everything she could to love and care for our daughter. It was never just her job, but her whole heart. She loved her, she loved me, she loved my older babies at home, and she was absolutely wonderful! I will love her forever and will never forget all she did for our daughter and our family!